Did you know that you should be undertaking regular maintenance on your hot water system? 

Nope?
Don’t worry you are not alone. While a hot water system is an appliance that you use every day, multiple times a day, it is often the one appliance in your home that you forget exists… until it stops working, on the coldest day in April, which is also Easter Sunday and you have the whole extended family needing a shower.

To prevent being in a situation where your hot water system lets you down, just when you can’t afford it to, we recommend undertaking the following regular maintenance.

1) Regularly check and test your temperature pressure relief valve (TPR for short). 

The TPR is a valve that allows pressure that builds up in your hot water system to be released. If you think about a hot water system, it is a little bit like a pressure cooker: When water is heated, it expands (from a liquid into a gas - steam), in the event that your hot water system thermostat is faulty, and it continues heating when it shouldn’t, the TPR is what allows the pressure to escape. If you TPR were also to fail, then you would be left with a highly volatile bomb full of scalding water and steam just waiting for the weakest seam in its construction to fail. 

In order to ensure that your TPR isn’t faulty, and to check that hornets, wasps and other animals haven’t built nests in it that are blocking it, it is a great idea to release the TPR valve and let hot water escape for 10 seconds once every 3 months. The water that is released from the TPR will be VERY hot, so it is important to ensure that your body, and the bodies of any children and animals are well clear when you release the valve. 

2) Inspect your hot water system for rust, damage and leaks & replace your sacrificial anode 

Your hot water system is made of metal and full of water - rust is something that you should expect, and therefore, you will need to monitor for it. Most hot water systems have a sacrificial anode - a piece of aluminum or magnesium coated in zinc, that slides into the hot water system and is designed to attract all of the impurities in the water in your hot water system, and rust so that the tank itself does not. The sacrificial anode should be replaced by a qualified plumber every 5 years in order to improve the longevity of your hot water system. 

3) Check your tempering valve is working

Most hot water systems have a tempering valve which mixes hot water from the tank with a little bit of cold to limit the temperature coming out of the system to outlets in basins, baths and showers to 50 degrees celsius to prevent scalding - particularly designed to protect children, the elderly and infirm.

To ensure your tempering value is operating correctly, the temperature at those outlets can be checked periodically with a thermometer. If the temperature is too high or too low a licenced plumber can attend to either fit a new valve, service the existing one or adjust as required.

4) Be aware & proactive

If you suspect that your hot water system isn’t working quite like it should be, it is a good idea to arrange an inspection by a qualified plumber. They will be able to check that the tank and all of the valves are in good working order - or advise you of any maintenance required. Often their call out and repairs will be far cheaper than the cost and inconvenience of the urgent replacement of your hot water system. 

If you need some help with your hot water system - give us a call on 0439 648 390 to book an inspection or discuss your needs.